Ester Maria Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) For prevention, put this on your door. ;) Edited February 9, 2012 by Ester Maria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 For prevention, put this on your door. ;) :lol::lol::lol::lol: We'd probably STILL get knocks on the door even with a sign like that. hehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 For prevention, put this on your door. ;) I would want to add a couple of things just so there would be no confusion: No meat sales and no vacuum cleaner "shows." :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureMoms Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I just say "no thank you". I do not offer food or drink, I kind of assume that they are caring for their own needs in that department. If they keep talking over my polite "no thank you", I close the door. Maybe rude, but I'm not going to take a lot of time to try to get rid of them after I have told them I'm not interested. They can talk to the door if they want. It is probably more interested than I am and it doesn't have three little kids to take care of. I've only had JW missionaries though, I don't think I've ever had an LDS one. I did make one JW one run away once when I answered the door wearing fairly short shorts and a not terribly modest shirt (my pj's at the time). It must have been his first day, because I can't imagine that was the oddest thing one would encounter in that line of work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ester Maria Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 :lol::lol::lol::lol: We'd probably STILL get knocks on the door even with a sign like that. hehe I know... Sort of, "I know you put this sign, BUT..." :glare: If it occurs frequently, you may wish to try this one. :tongue_smilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureMoms Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I would want to add a couple of things just so there would be no confusion: No meat sales and no vacuum cleaner "shows." :D OMG, the vacuum people. I've had 4 of them this month. I'm starting to think someone is trying to tell me something. Yes my floors are dirty people, I have three toddlers. A better vacuum is NOT going to fix this problem! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maus Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 For prevention, put this on your door. ;) :lol::lol::lol::lol: We'd probably STILL get knocks on the door even with a sign like that. heheMost young LDS wouldn't know what "witnessing" means, so wthey wouldn't think it meant us. ;) Difference in terminology, I know, but these are 19-20 year-olds. (We call it "testifying.") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I know... Sort of, "I know you put this sign, BUT..." :glare: If it occurs frequently, you may wish to try this one. :tongue_smilie: :lol::lol::lol: With a sign like that I think even my neighbors would be scared to come to my house and they always come around, but probably the JW would still knock anyway. They really have it out for my dh it seems. He's a marked man! ;) :p hehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ester Maria Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Most young LDS wouldn't know what "witnessing" means, so wthey wouldn't think it meant us. ;) Difference in terminology, I know, but these are 19-20 year-olds. (We call it "testifying.") But it says "no nothing, no exceptions"... I thought that covered it all! (Not that one still does not get solicitors, though.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 OMG, the vacuum people. I've had 4 of them this month. I'm starting to think someone is trying to tell me something. Yes my floors are dirty people, I have three toddlers. A better vacuum is NOT going to fix this problem! :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Most young LDS wouldn't know what "witnessing" means, so wthey wouldn't think it meant us. ;) Difference in terminology, I know, but these are 19-20 year-olds. (We call it "testifying.") Actually I was thinking more of the JW we've experienced than the LDS. :) They are really quite agressive (the JW). I've only dealt with one set of LDS missionaries. They were nice young men, but just really really wanted to get into my house. They prayed over me and said they would come back sometime when dh was home, but they never did. We were even expecting them and they never came. Go figure! :confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 OMG, the vacuum people. I've had 4 of them this month. I'm starting to think someone is trying to tell me something. Yes my floors are dirty people, I have three toddlers. A better vacuum is NOT going to fix this problem! :lol::lol::lol: Oh I haven't yet experienced the vacuum people or the meat truck men, but I'm happy that I don't have any carpets in my house. :p ETA: and by carpets I mean carpets!! I know how you girls are with your euphemisms. :p :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 :lol::lol::lol::lol: We'd probably STILL get knocks on the door even with a sign like that. hehe My friend had a room mate in college who was, clueless. My friend was really sick, told roommate she wasn't to be disturbed, etc. roommate kept coming in for various things - she didn't think it applied to her. My friend had to be very explicit - it meant her too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 A better vacuum is NOT going to fix this problem! but hey, it's self-propelled.;) (is that like the girl who was driving down the freeway in her new RV, put it on cruise control and went in the back to make a sandwich? :001_huh:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 My friend had a room mate in college who was, clueless. My friend was really sick, told roommate she wasn't to be disturbed, etc. roommate kept coming in for various things - she didn't think it applied to her. My friend had to be very explicit - it meant her too! :lol::lol: but hey, it's self-propelled.;) (is that like the girl who was driving down the freeway in her new RV, put it on cruise control and went in the back to make a sandwich? :001_huh:) Oh my! Are you serious! :svengo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clementine Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 ETA: and by carpets I mean carpets!! I know how you girls are with your euphemisms. :p :lol: :lol: Back to the topic....I always try remember that they are someone's son & I turn them away politely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 :lol: Back to the topic....I always try remember that they are someone's son & I turn them away politely. That's how I feel too. I don't like to be rude to anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaSheep Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 They have a mission church in our neighborhood and the couple times they've come, they were very polite and easily put off - though I'm pretty sure I'm not their target demographic. The JW's are a bit more persistent - one once did not want to leave even though I had TWO screaming babies and was in my pajamas - I just had to close the door on him. I see someone else already asked about the term "mission church" (which I don't recognize either). But I'm also curious what you mean by "I'm pretty sure I'm not their target demographic". Unless you're not actually human or something. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 :lol::lol: Oh my! Are you serious! :svengo: apparently very old urban legend. considering how stupid some people are . . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 apparently very old urban legend. considering how stupid some people are . . . . Yikes! It always amazes me that there aren't more traffic accidents than there are already. I think a lot of people have the angels working overtime! :svengo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frugalmama Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Here, the LDS ones are fairly nice, the JW are pushy but nice, but it's the Baptist ones that just won't take no for an answer {no offense to any baptists}. Once a year they do a big city-wide door to door event, and once the word goes out then I put up the don't bother ringing we aren't interested sign. If they ring the bell anyways I point to the sign and say did you read it? And then say it applies to you too and shut the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 For prevention, put this on your door. ;) What??? No cookies? I couldn't have that sign. Girl scouts are always welcome at my door.:tongue_smilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I have never had a Mormon talk to me. Ever! Even when I was in college, they actually would look the other way and ignore me as I went past. . Why was that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Nyssa Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Well... 1. I try to share with them what I believe, 2. they go back to trying to share what THEY believe 3. I offer them some literature about MY church which I have ready & waiting by the door. I wish they would take it, but that always makes them go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Well...1. I try to share with them what I believe, 2. they go back to trying to share what THEY believe 3. I offer them some literature about MY church which I have ready & waiting by the door. I wish they would take it, but that always makes them go away. I find that really interesting. I can't comment on the LDS missionaries because I've only had one experience with them and didn't try to give them any information about my church, but I have done that with JW and they will not take it, but yet they want me to take their information. :confused::confused: Why don't they take anything in return. Seems courteous to me. "I'll read yours if you read mine" if you will. :tongue_smilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I find that really interesting. I can't comment on the LDS missionaries because I've only had one experience with them and didn't try to give them any information about my church, but I have done that with JW and they will not take it, but yet they want me to take their information. :confused::confused: Why don't they take anything in return. Seems courteous to me. "I'll read yours if you read mine" if you will. :tongue_smilie: As someone who had a crisis of faith and deconverted from Mormonism as a married adult, I would never, ever try to deconvert a Mormon missionary. Faith crises are painful and confusing. Trying to encourage one in someone who is young, isolated from family and friends, and under a ton of pressure to testify of the truthfulness of his or her church is, I feel, morally wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureMoms Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 :lol::lol::lol: Oh I haven't yet experienced the vacuum people or the meat truck men, but I'm happy that I don't have any carpets in my house. :p ETA: and by carpets I mean carpets!! I know how you girls are with your euphemisms. :p :lol: Funny thing is we have all hard floors too. But we do have the odd area rug. And my brain didn't go there until you took me there!:lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 I try to be polite. Usually a sweet "we're happy at our current church" does the trick. That's all I've ever had to say, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) As someone who had a crisis of faith and deconverted from Mormonism as a married adult, I would never, ever try to deconvert a Mormon missionary. Faith crises are painful and confusing. Trying to encourage one in someone who is young, isolated from family and friends, and under a ton of pressure to testify of the truthfulness of his or her church is, I feel, morally wrong. :grouphug::grouphug: Oh honey. I was just saying that tongue-in-cheek. I apologize if I made you feel bad. I have never given anything to a LDS missionary. I don't try to convert them either. If they come to my door, I explain to them that I have differing beliefs and I'm not interested in changing. I do the same with JW. The only time I have ever given anyone from another belief anything was when I was working in an office and there were a bunch of us ladies who were Christians and so I made a copy of a Bible study lesson that I had at home that impacted me to share with them. One of the ladies it turned out was a JW, which I didn't know at the time, and she told me that she could not take my paper as she was JW and was forbidden to take it. I apologized to her and did not give her a copy and that was the end of it. I was just musing over the irony of it since the JW always have materials that they want you to take that's all. I hope I didn't come across as callous or disrespectful. That was not my intent and not how I treat them when they come to my door. :grouphug::grouphug: Edited February 9, 2012 by Ibbygirl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) Funny thing is we have all hard floors too. But we do have the odd area rug. And my brain didn't go there until you took me there!:lol: sorrrryyyyyy. :blushing: Mine didn't go there either until after the fact. That's why I edited my post because I thought since I'm such a jokester that somebody would call me on it so I was covering my bases. :p ;) hehe Edited February 9, 2012 by Ibbygirl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laundrycrisis Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Someone knocks at my door, of my private home, uninvited, and interrupts me from my normal activities, to offer an unsolicited summary of their religion. My version of "not being mean" means I don't swear at them. I tell them "no thank you" with a smile and shut the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 :grouphug::grouphug: Oh honey. I was just saying that tongue-in-cheek. I apologize if I made you feel bad. No apologies necessary. I'm good. :001_smile: On the one hand, it seems completely fair to proselytize back, given that they knocked on your door. On the other hand, I know from talking to others how bad of a time a mission is to have a faith crisis. Now that my nephews are going on missions, missionaries seem younger and I feel more protective. :tongue_smilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 No apologies necessary. I'm good. :001_smile: On the one hand, it seems completely fair to proselytize back, given that they knocked on your door. On the other hand, I know from talking to others how bad of a time a mission is to have a faith crisis. Now that my nephews are going on missions, missionaries seem younger and I feel more protective. :tongue_smilie: :) Still, I don't want to come across as callous. I think a crisis of faith would be extremely painful at anytime especially when one is so young still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 For me it's because home is a pleasant refuge and I dislike strangers barging in and trying to sell me something in my space. People selling something (whether it be religion, service, or a tangible good)? Rude! And annoying! :iagree::iagree::iagree: Knocking on people's doors for your own needs is VERY selfish and infra-dig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted February 10, 2012 Author Share Posted February 10, 2012 For prevention, put this on your door. ;) That's a good sign, but I couldn't do that. I would feel like a hypocrite since we hit our neighbors up each year for BSA popcorn! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted February 10, 2012 Author Share Posted February 10, 2012 they followed up by asking if I knew anyone who might be receptive to what they had to say. If I knew anyone in the neighborhood who would be interested. :001_huh: :confused: I've never had them ask that before. I told them there were tons of LDS folks here in town (there are), so that their message was pretty accessible. It kind of caught me off guard. I like all my neighbors, so there was no one I could send them to. :D Besides, I sure wouldn't want them using me as a reference or something: "The lady on the corner said you would like to hear our message." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted February 10, 2012 Author Share Posted February 10, 2012 I tell them that I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic church. :D. Then, I offer them a beer and a lap dance. Since there are two of them, they run off together. This is WHY they go out in pairs. KIDDING! Oh, my! This truly made me LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted February 10, 2012 Author Share Posted February 10, 2012 :lol::lol::lol: With a sign like that I think even my neighbors would be scared to come to my house and they always come around, but probably the JW would still knock anyway. They really have it out for my dh it seems. He's a marked man! ;) :p hehe It's because he is engaging. The fact that he talks to them AT ALL is why they keep coming round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatCyndiGirl Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 (edited) As someone who had a crisis of faith and deconverted from Mormonism as a married adult, I would never, ever try to deconvert a Mormon missionary. Faith crises are painful and confusing. Trying to encourage one in someone who is young, isolated from family and friends, and under a ton of pressure to testify of the truthfulness of his or her church is, I feel, morally wrong. Please understand that this is not intended to be mean or rude or snarky at all. It is borne out of frustration, not contempt. A crisis of faith seems to be EXACTLY what these "missionaries/witnesses/whatever" are trying to elicit from us!!! Why should we care so much about THEIR tender psyches when they won't give us the courtesy of being left alone?! I truly do not care if they are LDS or Mormon or Baptist or whathaveyou. It is all the same to me-intrusive. If I want information on their belief system I will seek them out. I can look up church info on Google. I do NOT need some stranger invading my space to try to push his religion on me! They are pushing their own need to fulfill some 'calling' or duty and, as a PP stated, it IS selfish. I don't knock on the doors of public schoolers to tell them why they should homeschool. I don't knock on the doors of formula feeders to tell them whey they should breastfeed. Edited February 10, 2012 by ThatCyndiGirl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatCyndiGirl Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 I do believe that next time I will say, "Sure, as long as I can tell you all about my new home business. I teach other women how to make frugal homemade 'marital aids'. For the first lesson we will take these Fruit Roll-Ups and these licorice whips to make edible undies......Hey, where are ya going?" :tongue_smilie: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 If an LDS missionary comes to your door, and you do not have an interest in hearing what they have to say, what do you say to them? Do you offer them food or water? What is the proper protocol if you are not interested in becoming LDS, but you don't want to be "mean?" I think the nicest, but most firm thing to say is "We're not interested. Please take our household off your list if you have one. Have a nice day." They're usually polite and go away. I don't know if they actually keep lists of places to visit or not visit, though. Asking them to take your household off the list is the nicest way I can think of to say "and don't come back" without being too brusque. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mothergooseof4 Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 I just don't answer the door. I don't mean that to sound rude because I don't answer the door for anyone. If I am not expecting someone and hear a knock, I look out the window. If it isn't someone I know as in a family member or personal friend, then I don't answer. Answering the door for any reason other than a preplanned purpose interrupts my day and the flow of our school work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2abcd Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Vacuum Manure A little old lady answered a knock on the door one day, only to be confronted by a well-dressed young man carrying a vacuum cleaner. "Good morning," said the young man. "If I could take a couple of minutes of your time, I would like to demonstrate the very latest in high-powered vacuum cleaners." "Go away!" said the old lady. "I haven't got any money!" and she proceeded to close the door. Quick as a flash, the young man wedged his foot in the door and pushed it wide open. "Don't be too hasty!" he said. "Not until you have at least seen my demonstration." And with that, he emptied a bucket of horse manure onto her hallway carpet. "If this vacuum cleaner does not remove all traces of this horse manure from your carpet, Madam, I will personally eat the remainder." "Well," she said, "I hope you've got a good appetite, because the electricity was cut off this morning." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 As someone who had a crisis of faith and deconverted from Mormonism as a married adult, I would never, ever try to deconvert a Mormon missionary. Faith crises are painful and confusing. Trying to encourage one in someone who is young, isolated from family and friends, and under a ton of pressure to testify of the truthfulness of his or her church is, I feel, morally wrong. But the whole point of the mission is to create faith crises. Where's the compassion for the non-LDS individuals involved? I thought it was natural that if someone comes up and wants to talk about religion (especially in another person's home), it would be a two-way conversation. I've never had an LDS missionary come by, but I've had JWs do so. When I was younger I'd engage them. Every time I asked a substantive question, they'd say they needed to ask their elder or whoever. Do JWs really successfully convert people during these discussions where they don't know enough to defend their own faith? In the house I've lived in for about 20 years, one of the co-owners is on the JWs' list somehow. They come by fairly often and try to be creative about their approach. "We brought someone who can talk to her in the language of her native country" (which has 25 official languages, but the target was raised speaking English). Funny thing is that the target individual is never around when they come, so they just leave. And there is not an iota of possibility that she would listen to their witnessing for five seconds, if they did happen to catch her. I will say that they are always polite and they don't try to force their way into the house. It feels bad to reject someone. I think one feels a little embarrassed for that person. However, my mom was raised as a JW and she explained that each rejection is sort of a triumph for them - a moment they've suffered for their faith (martyrdom) or whatever. So maybe they don't feel bad or awkward being stifled and sent away. But it's hard to get used to that mindset as an outsider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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